Within the context of present technology it has been traditional to maintain each of lighting, audio, security and other entertainment and warning systems in separate physical housings and to energize and control each such system from its own separate physical location. It has not been the practice to centralize the physical housing, location and control of these kinds of systems. The purpose of a device such as is contemplated by the present invention is to combine the functional operations of lighting, audio and/or security systems in one conventional-appearing decorative housing such that the entertainment aspect of a stereo radio receiver may be controlled and enjoyed along with the control and enjoyment of lighting and security systems. According to the present invention, a system is provided in which audio, lighting and/or security systems may be combined in one decorative housing that will be useful in homes, industrial plants and the like, housed in an economical and convenient central control station. In a high-density packaging of system components such as is contemplated by the present invention, the provision of adequate ventilation is of the first order of importance.
The general form of the audio light chandelier may include a plurality of horizontal arms, usually disposed at about equal angular intervals about a central housing member or chimney. Decorative appearance is almost as important an aspect of any lighting fixture as is functional operation and this is particularly true for a chandelier. An important functional and utilitarian feature of the audio light chandelier is its utilization of the structure supporting the light fixtures as resonance chambers for an included audio system. Another important feature is in the provision of openings in the body of the device for the circulation of cooling air. Natural convection is used to maintain a flow of cooling air through the body of the device so as to remove the heated air, so heated by the electronic and electric components of the system, and to introduce fresh air from the room in which the structure is located.